Why are our politicians almost universally perceived as liars? What made candidate Bill Clinton's draft record more newsworthy than his policy statements? How did George Bush's masculinity, Ronald Reagan's theatrics with a microphone, and Walter Mondale's appropriation of a Wendy's hamburger ad make or break their presidential campaigns? Ever since... more...

An Overview of Intelligence What Is Intelligence? The Challenge of Defining Intelligence Information and Intelligence Types of Intelligence Functions of Intelligence Agencies Policymakers and Decision-Makers Intelligence Foundations in U.S. Government U.S. Intelligence Community Purpose of Intelligence Limitations of Intelligence History... more...

US politics today offers a concise introduction to contemporary US government and politics. The book considers core institutions and issues. The second edition has been rewritten to incorporate coverage of events since 1999. more...

Redrawing district lines is arguably the most polarizing of political activities in the United States today. As technological developments permit more and more sophisticated statistical analyses, those in charge of the process are more tempted to gerrymander districts for their own future benefit. At the same time, as this data is made available to... more...

This book collects a number of Martin Shefter's most important articles on political parties. They address three questions: Under what conditions will strong party organizations emerge? What influences the character of parties--in particular, their reliance on patronage? In what circumstances will the parties that formerly dominated politics in a... more...

One of the most remarkable characteristics of the U.S. Constitution is its mutability. The procedure for amending the Constitution ensures that it will always be a living document that reflects the evolving concerns of the American populace over time. Indeed, soon after the Constitution was ratified, it began to be amended. The first ten amendments,... more...

Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America (De la démocratie en Amérique) is a classic text detailing the United States of the 1830s, showing a primarily favorable view by Tocqueville as he compares it to his native France. Considered to be an important account of the U.S. democratic system, it has become a classic work in the fields... more...

One of the easiest ways to increase public cynicism about elections is to change the rule book to make the laws governing how we vote more vague and less rigorous. ?Reforms? have been passed amid claims they would increase voter turnout. They haven?t - but they have made it easier to commit absentee ballot and other fraud. In this explosive broadside,... more...

Studies of Identity in the 2008 Presidential Campaign explores issues of identity politics and the presidential election. Investigating all aspects of race, gender or ageism, the contributors to this volume address the role and function of 'identity politics' in political campaigns, and highlight challenges of 'identity politics' in contemporary political... more...